Ensuring full and effective participation of CSOs and indigenous peoples in UN-REDD Programme Policy Board

Lima , Peru – 9 July 2014

Representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) and indigenous peoples (IP) to the UN-REDD Programme Policy Board met on 6 July in Lima, Peru in advance of their participation in the Programme’s 12th Policy Board 7-9 July. The meeting allowed CSO and IP representatives from the Asia-Pacific, Latin American and Caribbean, and Asia regions to collectively discuss and review the meeting’s agenda and to plan their interventions to discussion and decision items.

The UN-REDD Secretariat reviews the agenda of the 12th Policy Board meeting with indigenous and civil society representatives.

Providing indigenous peoples and civil society representatives with the support they need to effectively contribute to REDD+ decision-making processes, including the Programme’s Policy Board meetings, is critical for authentic participation in the REDD+ process. The Programme’s Stakeholder Engagement Specialists provide this continual support throughout the year to CSO and IP representatives. In addition to contributing to pre-Policy Board consultative meetings, they also inform CSO and IP representatives of National Programme progress updates and provide funds for them to meet with stakeholders on the ground in key countries so that they can more effectively represent the views of their constituents in REDD+ the decision-making processes.

The pre-Policy Board meetings provide the opportunity for CSO and IP representatives to review with UN-REDD Programme staff the meeting’s agenda in detail and address any remaining questions or concerns that may exist. These meetings also provide the opportunity to provide CSO and IP representatives with updates from the UN-REDD Programme on issues of direct interest to the representatives, as well as solicit the representatives’ views on how to improve and strengthen the Programme’s engagement with indigenous peoples and civil society.

During the formal sessions of the Policy Board, CSO and IP representatives typically contribute comments on global and country level processes, highlighting key issues such as safeguards and participatory processes in the countries, and presenting relevant statements from country-level indigenous and civil society stakeholders to be included in the record.

The dedicated support provided to Policy Board CSO and IP representatives is a key component of the UN-REDD Programme’s stakeholder engagement work, and a crucial contribution to full and effective participation of CSOs and IPs in REDD+.